Chicken Fried Chicken

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 c. buttermilk
* 2-3 drops Tabasco/other hot-pepper sauce
* 1 c. flour
* 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
* 1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
* oil for frying

Rinse chicken & pat dry with paper towels. One at a time, sandwich chicken between two sheets of waxed paper & pound to an even thickness. (Rolling pin works great!) In a shallow bowl, mix buttermilk & pepper sauce. Add chicken, turn to coat, and let stand for at least 20 minutes-1 hr. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic zip bag. Shake bag to mix well. One at a time, lift chicken from buttermilk, draining well, add to bag, seal closed & shake to coat chicken evenly. Repeat for each piece. As chicken is coated, place in a single layer on a sheet of waxed paper & allow batter to set for about 20 minutes. Warm a serving platter in a 150 degree oven. Pour oil to a depth of 1" in a heavy saute pan over med. heat. Heat to 350-375. Working in batches, gently slide chicken breasts into hot oil. Do not crowd & do not allow sides to touch or they will stick. Fry until golden & crisp on one side, about 5 min. Turn & cook until golden & crisp on the other side, 3-5 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain. Transfer to warmed serving platter & keep warm.